The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the manufacture of honeycomb composite structures.
Honeycomb composite structures are typically fabricated having one or more laminate structures formed from a selected number of plies, and one or more core elements, which are often honeycomb core elements. The core elements are bonded to the laminate structures under a cure cycle involving pressure and/or high temperature applied to the composite. The pressurization during the cure cycle in many structures causes movement of at least portions of the honeycomb core elements so the resulting composite structure is not what was intended by design. Further, in some structures, the core elements may be crushed, the honeycomb core cells closing due to the movement. Such movement or closing of the honeycomb structure results in structural defects in the structure that often results in scrapping of the structure with the defects.